Phil Jones, a CBS News correspondent for more than 30 years, has died at the age of 87.
Jones died this weekend at his home in Florida. He leaves behind a son, Paul, and a daughter, Pam.
The tenacious journalist joined CBS News in 1967, at a time when Walter Cronkite was anchoring the CBS Evening News. Jones was considered one of “Cronkite’s kids.” Shortly after joining CBS, Jones won an Emmy for his coverage of the Vietnam War.
Jones was best known for his coverage of political battles in Washington, D.C. He began with the Watergate scandal and later served as a White House correspondent during the Ford administration. Jones also covered the impeachment trial of then-President Bill Clinton.
He was a tenacious reporter who followed a story wherever it took him. As a correspondent for “48 Hours,” Jones traveled across Burma on muleback in pursuit of a drug lord.
His colleague Eric Engberg described Jones’ impact when he retired in 2001 after 32 years at CBS News.
“All the lying, scheming, thieving, whining politicians in Washington will sleep better now that you’re gone,” Engberg said at the time.
